The economic, social, and cultural dynamics of early and forced marri̇ages: The case of Şanlıurfa

Early and forced marriages are a multilayered social phenomenon that deeply shapes not only individuals' lives but also the social structure itself. This study approaches marriages not merely as a necessity or cultural tradition, but through the lens of symbolic interactionism theory, as a process constructed within individuals' meaning worlds and intertwined with gender roles. In the case of Şanlıurfa, early marriages shape young individuals' identities at the boundaries between consent and coercion, while dominant patriarchal norms are continuously reproduced through the symbols of "womanhood" and "manhood." The research was conducted through in-depth interviews with 31 participants and analyzed using thematic analysis. This method revealed the gendered meanings of marriage and the coercive social mechanisms behind them. Consequently, the thesis demonstrates that early and forced marriages are not only a social practice but also a dynamic symbolic field that is continuously reproduced in individuals' everyday lives, oscillating between resistance and compliance.